The Crush (10 page)

“I think I’m going to be sick.”

She ran to the bathroom in the hallway, making it just in time before she up heaved the entire contents of her stomach while I held her hair out of her face.

“Oh my god I can’t believe I just did that.” Ditto.

I helped her stand up after her stomach seemed to calm down and she washed off her face in the sink while rifling through the medicine cabinet until she found a tube of toothpaste, squirting a small amount on to her finger and then in her mouth to get that nasty taste out.

“I think I’m going to lie down for a bit. My head is pounding.”

I helped her up to Hallies room and she walked in without flicking the lights on, finding her bag and pulling out something to change into.

“Thanks Grier I think I’ve got it from here. Sorry by the way.” Hers eyes flicked quickly to mine before returning to her bag and I could sense the awkwardness between the two of us after what happened in the kitchen.

I gave her a little nod before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind me. I couldn’t believe that I had let that happen and Lexie hadn’t even crossed my mind once.

Wynn

I heard someone screaming and woke up in an unfamiliar bed, tangled up in the sheets and realized the screams were coming from me. My throat was raw and I’m sure I had been doing it for awhile after I remembered what I had been dreaming about. I swear I could literally feel Richards hands on my body, making my skin crawl.

The door opened and I could see a dark figure coming towards me as I pressed my back into the corner of the bed.

“Hey girl you okay?” I heard the familiar drawl of Griers voice and instantly relaxed. I nodded my head at him as he came closer and his eyes were filled with concerned.

“What are you doing in here Grier?” I looked over at the clock that was next to Hallies bed seeing that it was almost two in the morning and from the sounds of the music, the party must still be going strong.

“I was just out in the hall, I was afraid you would get sick again so I figured I would stick around. I heard you scream and you scared the shit of me. Did you have a bad dream?”

I nodded my head at him before laying my pounding head back down on the pillow.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, crouching down on the floor next to the bed and grabbing a hold of my hand.

“Not really. Would you mind getting me some asprin though, Hallie has some in her bathroom in the medicine cabinet.”

He left, leaving my hand feeling empty and came back quickly with two pills and a full glass of water that I drank every last drop of before laying back down.

“Do you want me to stay in here until you fall asleep girl?” I nodded my head again at him and he climbed over my body so he was situated behind me, pulling me tight against him while he rubbed light circles on the back of my neck. I fell asleep quickly feeling the safest I had in a long time

                                                                *********************************

The next time I woke up and looked at the clock it was just a little after ten in the morning. I had probably gotten the best sleep in a long time after Grier came in with me and I could still feel his warm body against mine, so apparently he had fallen asleep too.

Haileys door opened up and a familiar shaggy blonde head popped in, his jaw dropping open as his eyes took in the scene. I had only went to bed in my lacey red panties and a tank top that I had somehow managed to get on in my drunken stupor and Grier must of stripped out of his shirt in the middle of the night, leaving him in just his shorts. He had one leg flung over both of mine with his bare chest pressed tightly against my back and his arm was wrapped tightly around my waist.

Vances look of shock was quickly replaced by a cocky smirk and he waggled his eyebrows at me.

“Not a word of this to anyone Vance Nelson or I’ll castrate you,” I hissed out and he laughed at me before quietly backing out of the room. Grier sighed in his sleep as I lay back down on the pillow, twisting my body around so I was facing him and he buried his face in the crook of my neck.

“Grier wake up.” I pushed on his chest lightly and he pulled back to look up into my eyes.

“What’s goin’ on girl?” He asked groggily before squeezing his eyes shut again.

“Thanks for sleeping with me last night I really appreciated it but what happened
before
and
after
I tossed my cookies cannot happen again. You have a girlfriend.”

He groaned into my neck and let out a huff that tickled me. “Trust me I know girl, just give me a little while longer. I’ve missed you, you’ve been avoiding me without any explanation and I liked our time that we spent together.”

I tensed up at his words, remembering exactly why I had been avoiding him even though it killed me not being able to spend time with him. Maybe I should just tell him. I felt bad not being able to tell him the truth, he didn’t deserve to be treated like that by the ice queen.

“Yeah about that.” I bit my lip and nervously waited for him to open up his eyes, I was only going to say this once and I needed to make sure he was listening.

He opened his eyes after I took a pause and he must have seen the look on my face judging by the concerned look he had.

“What’s the matter Wynn?”

“Well,” I replied back, stuffing a few strands of my messy bed head behind my ear. I’m sure I looked like a complete mess right now.

 “I saw something awhile back that I really shouldn’t have seen and trust me I did not want to see
that.
And I know I’m probably gonna get some major shit since I’ve already been threatened but I don’t want you to be taking advantage of. You’re a good guy, you don’t deserve that and you’re one of my best friends. I know this might change things between us but I have to get it out there.”

“Well just spit it out girl, what’s gotch ya so worked up?”

 “Um, well I walked in on Lexie one day after school. It was right before your last game when all the scouts came out to see you.” He nodded his head, I’m sure remembering that day very clearly.

“Ok and,” he drawled out.

I continued on as he sat up staring back at me and I clasped my hands together nervously. “And she was in there with some guy I’ve never seen before. And he was uh naked with Lexie on top of his lap. I’ll let you figure out what they were doing exactly. I sort of interrupted things.”

His mouth dropped open and quickly shut again as he thickly swallowed and I could see how tight his jaw was. He did not look very happy, who would be after finding out your supposedly virginal girlfriend was cheating on you behind your back?

 “Wow Wynn I never expected somethin’ like this from you. I know there’s this thing going on between us that I’m not even sure what it is but you don’t need to go around spreadin’ lies about my girlfriend tryin’ to break us up. It ain’t right, I thought you were different but you’re not, your worse.”

He jumped out of bed, grabbing his shirt off the floor and pulled it over his head. I really wasn’t expecting that kind of reaction out of him. Why would I make something like that up? Sure I had feelings for him but I wouldn’t lie so he would dump Lexie and get together with me. I couldn’t believe he thought that I would do something like that.

“But….” He interrupted me holding his hands up in front of him defensively, his blue eyes were colder than I had ever seen and they were narrowed at me.

“Just don’t. I don’t want to hear anything else, just stay the hell away from me.” He stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

I stared at the door for what felt like a lifetime thinking maybe he would come back but he didn’t. Instead Collins came in and I must have looked like a mess. I swiped a few tears away and she came over sitting down next to me on the bed.

 “Hey sweetie whatch ya doin’ up here all by yourself? You feelin’ any better?” Collins asked as she wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I leaned my head on her and she ran a hand through my hair.

“No not at all,” I said in between sniffs. And then I spilled the whole story to her.

                                                                *******************************

After a nice girl talk session with Collins, Hallie, and Tessa who each bashed Lexie and Grier, Collins and I headed home for a few hours before having to go in for our shift that night.

“I still can’t believe you caught Lexie like that I can’t even imagine the look on her face when you walked in. You’ll have to watch around school and point out the guy she was with. I can’t imagine who would be better than Grier Daniels.” Collins held open the door for me of the diner and I walked in ahead of her.

“Hey what’s wrong?” I asked, after we shoved our bags into Aunt Gracies small office and I made my way into the main dining area. Grams and mom were huddled together in a booth, talking in hushed tones while mom swiped away a few tears. I instantly knew something was wrong when I saw that, mom never cried, ever.

“Come here Wynn, we need to talk to you about something. Collins you think you can handle it on your own for awhile?”

She gave a quick bob of her head after giving me a suspicious look and turned to take her first order of the day from one of our usual customers.

“Hey sweet thing,” Grams said as I slid in next to her and she wrapped an arm around my shoulder, squeezing me tight. “Did you have a good day at school?”

I nodded my head looking between the two of them, they both looked awfully nervous about something.

“You hungry honey? I could make you a plate of food before you start workin’ or how about a piece of pie?” I had come to learn that Grams thought sweets of any kind could solve any problem so I knew something was definitely up.

“No thanks, just please tell me what’s going on, obviously it’s bad.” Mom gave a quick sigh before Grams nodded her head and mom fumbled with the coffee cup in front of her, stirring her spoon around and around in circles.

“Richard has been calling me recently, I don’t know why but all of a sudden he’s been making threats.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and Grams gently patted my hand.

“What kind of threats, is he giving you trouble about the divorce or something?” I knew it hadn’t been officially finalized yet, divorces didn’t happen instantly and Richard was a lawyer so I’m sure he knew all of the tricks to pull out to stall it for whatever deranged reason he had.

“No that’s not the problem honey, he could actually care less about that. He signed all of those papers ages ago. It’s you he’s been making the threats about.”

My body instantly stiffened at her words and Grams must of felt it because she started running a reassuring hand through my hair. I thought I was done with all that mess, I had been able to put it in the past, why couldn’t it just stay there where it belonged?

Mom continued on without waiting for a reply since she could see I was so visibly shaken.

“As you know when I married Richard since your daddy had passed away I thought it was a good idea when Richard brought up the idea of adopting you. At the time I thought it was such a great thing that he wanted to be a part of your life like that and not just a step dad. Now I’m thinking I was pretty stupid for doing such a thing.” 

A few more tears trickled down her cheek while Grams reached across the table to pat moms trembling hands. “Don’t you go blamin’ yourself for none of this Cecelia Jane, it ain’t your fault. I never liked that man, he always seemed like such a slime ball.”

“Well maybe I should have listened to you,” mom stated in between sniffles. “You always seem to be right about everything. So,” she continued on locking eyes with me again, “since Richard legally adopted you and you haven’t turned 18 yet he’s trying to get visitations with you. Since that little weasel managed to get all of the charges dropped, along with our restraining orders, the courts will probably side with him on this one. I really don’t know how we’re going to get out of this sweetie but I promise I’ll find someway.”

At those words it was like my life came crashing down around me like the ocean that I had fallen so much in love with. All of my worst nightmares had come true and I would somehow have to see that man again. That was not going to happen, I would make sure of it. It was like everything I had worked through for the past seven months had immediately bubbled right back up and I felt my chest instantly tighten as I grabbed at my throat to try and steady my breathing.

“Calm down sugar, just take some deep breaths, in and out, there ya go. Here take a sip of this.” Grams slid her mug in front of me and I took a big gulp before spitting it right back out.

“Oh my god Grams what in the hell is that?” I managed to sputter out while grabbing a few napkins out of the dispenser to wipe up my mess and take a big swig of my mom’s lukewarm coffee. Hopefully
that
wasn’t laced with anything.

“There, at least it helped to get your mind off of things, right? Don’t you worry that little pretty head of yours off. I still got your granddaddy’s shot gun tucked behind my bed, if that bastard makes one step towards you I’ll blow his head off or maybe I should aim lower,” she said with a wicked gleam in her eye.

 I think she would actually enjoy that one. I know I would.

Grams and mom reassured me for awhile longer before sending me home early for the night and I went home to bed early even though as soon as I managed to shut my eyes the nightmares started right back up where they left off and this time Grier wasn’t there to scare them away.

Grier

I tried to avoid Wynn as much as possible the first couple of days back to school after the party and Lexie helped that situation out by always hanging off me and following me around everywhere I went.

 She kept dropping little hints about what kind of ring she wanted to see on her finger and I don’t think she had any plans for after school besides following me. She already had a list of places to check out that I’m sure her daddy would be footin’ the bill for.

 I tried to be happy with her but I just couldn’t push the thoughts and images of Wynn that seemed to flash through my head all day. The way her body fit perfectly around mine, the fullness of her lips when she rained kisses down on me.